Automobile jack



Dec 31, 1929. G, G. SMITH ET AL 1,741,343

AUTOMOBILE JACK Filed Sept. 26. 1927 INVENTOR Gz. 6%.87101170 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 31 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE GREGORY SMITH AND GEORGE GARNET STOUIP, F FRANKLIN, VIRGINIA AUTOMOBILE JACK Application filed September 26, 1927. Serial No. 222,059.

Our invention relates to the art of lifting jacks and it particularly has for its object to provide a jack of the mechanically actuated type that will be especially. useful with autos having balloon tires. The axles of machines equipped with balloon tires are disposed closer to the ground, when a tire is flat, than is the case where the old style high pressure tires are used. Consequently, most lifting jacks heretofore designed are unsuitable for use with cars having balloon tires, since it is almost impossible to place such jacks beneath the axle, when the tire is fiat.

This difficulty we have sought to overcome with the jack constituting our present invention.

Further the invention has for its object to provide a low jack with the highest possible lift. Another object is to provide a jack 2 of the lever-pawl-and-ratchet type, in which the lever and pawl are located as near the upper end of the jack standard as possible.

Further it is an object to provide a jack with a spring actuated pawl and means to hold the pawl yieldingly in a disengaging position, when it is desired to lower the jack, and to provide the jack operating lever Wltll a device by which it can be made tomove the pawl into engagement with the ratchet at Wlll in using the lever as a lowering member.

Further the invention has for its object to provide a jack in which the lever is linked to a fixedly located pivot, the lever being pivoted to the link, thereby giving increased leverage. Still further the invention has for an ob ect to provide a jack with a hinged foot that is held by an articulated brace and is provided with a foot operable device for breaking the joint of the brace to release the pivot and permit the jack to rock over forwardly and release the auto readily.

Other objects will, in part, be obvious and, in part, be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, the invention resides in those novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first fully described, then specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to 5 the accompanying drawings, in which:

ly onthe line 33 of F Fig. 1 is a side elevation of our invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail front elevation (the lever being shown in section) of the upper portion of the jack.

Fig. 3 is a vertical. longitudinal section of the parts shown in Fig. 2, taken approximate- Fig. l is a detail section on the line-4: 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of the lever and its extension handle.

In the drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all of the figures, 1 represents the base upon which is rigidly mounted the hollow standard 2, which has a portion removed near the upper end, as at 3, to leave an opening through which the ratchet bar is exposed.

4--4= indicates a pair of brackets extending from the standard 2 and terminating in supporting ends 5, in which the primary fulcrum bolt 6 is located.

The standard 2 is chambered, as at 7, for the reception of the vertically movable ratchet bar 9 and it is provided with ribs 8 which enter slots 11 in the bar 9, in order to brace that bar, when it has been moved to its uppermost position, and prevent misalignment of the parts 2 and 9.

The ratchet bar 9 has teeth 10 and is also provided with a swiveled head 12'for the usual purpose.

13 is a holding pawl which is pivotally mounted on the fulcrum bolt 6 and is nor mally held in spring pressed engagement with the ratchet bars teeth.

14: is the lever link member, which is fulcrumed on the bolt 6', and to which the'lever 23 is pivoted, as at 22.

A second lever 15, serving as a spring tension lever, is fulcrumed on the bolt 6 and, at

its upper end,'is connected with a latch bar 16 that is adapted to be hooked on either of the studs 17 or 18 accordingly as to whether the pawl 13 is to be held in the ratchet engaged position or in the released position.

A spring 19 is coiled on the bolt 6 and has one end 20 engaged with the pawl 13 and the other end 21 engaged with the spring tension lever 15.

The operating lever 23 may be made in one piece or, preferably, it is provided with an extension handle 25 that is socketed on the tenon 24 and held with a suitable pin 26, or in any other convenient manner. The lever 23 has a toe portion 27 adapted to engage the teeth 10 of the ratchet bar 9 in lifting and lowering that bar. 28 is a pawl holding-in pin that is adapted, when it is desired to lower the ratchet bar, to be pressed against the pawl 13 tocajuse it to enter the teeth 10, as will be later more fully explained.

29 is the hinged section of the base 1, the section 29 being hingedat 32 to the standard 2 and is adapted to be folded up against that standard, when desired.

In order to retain the section 29 in alignmentwvith the 'fixed section 1,I provide an articulated brace composed of the members 30''30 hinged at 31 and 33, respectively, and connected together by a hinged joint 34 having a stop 35 to limit motion in one direction; or, in otherwords', to providea rule oint. In order to break the joint of the articulated brace SO-30, when it is desired to push the auto off the jack, I provide a foot engageable lever-36 pivoted at 37 and having a linger 38 to engage the under side of the brace 30 and move it to break the joint.

In order to prevent the pawl 13 from being moved too far back, when it isplaced in the released position, see dotted lines Fig. 1, a back stop 39 is provided, see Fig. 4.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that, in order to raise the ratchet bar 9 from the position shown in Fig. 3, the latch bar 16 is hooked on the stud 17 thus giving tension to the spring 19, so that it will tend to hold the pawl 13 in engagement with the ratchet bar teeth. The lever 23 is then rocked on its fulcrums 22 and 6 with a downward motion, thereby elevating the toe portion 27 and raising the ratchet bar, this operation being repeated until the desired elevation of the ratchet bar has been acquired.

When it is desired to lower the ratchet bar, the operator hooks the latch bar 16 on the stud 18. Thiscauses the spring tension to exert an action on the pawl 13, which, when thepawl is'released from the tooth, will move backward to the dotted position shown in 1. The operator then moves the lever 23 downwardly a slight distance, enough to release the pawl 13 from-the teeth 10. Then while pushing in on the lever, he raises it, permitting the ratchet bar 9 to lower. Raising the lever 23,while pushing in on it, causes the pin 28 to press the pawl 13 back into en gagement with the teeth 10 to hold the bar- 9 in the position to which it has been lowered. Theop'eratorthen pulls back on the handle, raises it and engages the toe portion 27 with a tooth 10 at a higher elevation and repeats the operation.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought that the construction, operation and advantages of the invention will be clear ly understood by those skilled in the art.

What we claim is 1. A jack comprising a base, a standard having a chamber, a ratchet bar vertically movable in said chamber, said standard having an opening in one wall near the top to expose the ratchet bar, brackets carried by said standard, a'primary fulcrum bolt mounted in said brackets, a pawl mounted on said bolt and adapted to project upwardly and be engaged withsaid. ratchet bar, a lever carrying link member pivoted on said bolt, an operating lever pivoted tosaidlinkmember and having a toe toen ga'gesaid ratchet bar, andta spring device associatedwithssaid pawl, said pawl being bifurcated and mounted between said bracket,-and said link'memberbeing located in the bifurcation ofsaid: pawl.

2. A jack comprising a .base,-a standard having a chamber, aratchetwbar vertically movable in-said chamber,said standard having an opening in one "walli near. the topto expose the ratchet bar,-.bracketscarriedby said standard, a primary fulcrum bolt mounted in said brackets, a. pawl mountedon said bolt and adapted to project upwardlyand be engaged with said ratchet bar, alever carryerating lever pivoted to said'link: member and having a toe to engage said ratchet. bar, a spring device-associated with said pawl, and means toadjust the tensionof said spring device to either force said pawl toward said -.-.95 ing link member pivoted on said bolt, an op- A ratchet baror hold it away'from the sameiac- I cordingly as said means is in one position or the other.

3. A jack'colnprising a baseya standard being located in the bifurcation of said pawl,

and means to adjust the tension of said spring device to either force said pawl-toward; said ratchet bar or'hold it away fromthe-same accordingly as saidmeans is in one position or the other.

4. A jack comprising a base, astandard having a chamber, aratchet bar vertically movable in said-chamber, saidstandard having an opening in one wall nearthe top to expose the ratchet bar, brackets carried..-by

between said standard and the other portion said standard, a primary fulcrum bolt mounted in said brackets, a pawl mounted on said bolt and adapted to project upwardly and be engaged with said ratchet bar, a lever carrying link member pivoted on said bolt, an operating lever pivoted to said link memher and having a toe to engage said ratchet bar, a spring device associated with said pawl, means to adjust thetension of said spring device to either force said pawl toward said ratchet bar or hold it away from the same accordingly as said means is in one position or the other, and a pawl engaging pin carried by said lever for the purposes specified.

5. A jack comprising a base, a standard having a chamber, a ratchet bar vertically movable in said chamber, said standard having an opening in one wall near the top to expose the ratchet bar, brackets carried by said standard, a primary fulcrum bolt mounted in said brackets, a pawl mounted on said bolt and adapted to project upwardly and be engaged with said ratchet bar, a lever carrying link member pivoted on said bolt, an

operating lever pivoted to said link member and having a toe to engage said ratchet bar, and a spring device associated with said pawl, said pawl being bifurcated and mounted between said bracket, said link member being located in the bifurcation of said pawl, means to adjust the tension of said spring device to either force said pawl toward said ratchet bar or hold it away from the same accordingly as said means is in one position or the other, and a pawl engaging pin carried by said lever for the purposes specified.

6. A jack comprising a base, a standard having a chamber, a ratchet bar vertically movable in said chamber, said standard having an opening in one wall near the top to expose the ratchet bar, brackets carried by said standard, a primary fulcrum bolt mounted in said brackets, a pawl mounted on said bolt and adapted to project upwardly and be engaged with said ratchet bar, a lever carrying link member pivoted on said bolt, an operating lever pivoted to said link member and having a toe to engage said ratchet bar, a spring device associated with said pawl, means to adjust the tension of said spring device to either force said pawl toward said ratchet bar or hold it away from the same accordingly as said means is in one position or the other, a pawl engaging pin carried by said lever, and a pawl back stop on one of said brackets for the purposes specified.

7. In a jack, an articulated base composed of two sections connected by a rule joint whereby normally to lie in one plane, a standard fixed with respect to one portion of said base, a ratchet bar mounted in said standard, means associated with said ratchet bar and said standard for raising and lowering said bar, an articulated one-way joint brace cified.

GEORGE GREGORY SMITH. GEORGE GARNET STOUP. 

